Too Late
by Dorien Cousland
Summary: When Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett get arrested and sentenced to death, Sweeney makes some amazing revelations about the Judge, Lucy, and where his true feelings lay. Sweeney/Lovett.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

Let's pretend that Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney got arrested after the Judge and Lucy were killed. And that they were accused of murder and sentenced to death… dundundun

And on a side note, for the sake of the story, I changed it so that Mrs. Lovett never knew Lucy survived and thought she was dead as well, until Sweeney discovers she wasn't after he killed her.

--

"Mr. Sweeney Todd, charged with the murder of the most honorable Judge Turpin…"

Honorable _indeed_.

Sweeney Todd stood, facing a crowd of about fifty people who were all gathered around the small wooden stage where he was standing. They were in the center of London, and Sweeney was just taking in his surroundings. He looked up and saw the grey sky that they all stood under. He looked around him and saw police officers next too him, holding him in place.

He also dully noted the noose hanging to his left.

_Judge Turpin,_ Sweeney thought. How he had yearned for the day that had now come and passed, that day that had ended Turpin forever. The moment kept playing in his head, as if it were a movie. Sweeney wanted more than anything to go back and relive that moment, again and again, have it be his only reality.

The Judge had been the thing that drove his very existence. Revenge was his only reason for living. It had been his purpose, and now it had gone. _He had killed Judge Turpin._

Sweeney felt detached from everything since. He kept drifting in and out of consciousness, as if life had decided that it was satisfied and was slowly pulling out if him. And with his feeling for revenge finally quelled, he felt _empty_. There was nothing left to think about. Nothing left to feel.

"… The murder of Mrs. Lucy Barker…" The guard continued. Sweeney snapped back into reality.

_Lucy,_ he thought. His wife, his true love, was gone forever. Because of Judge Turpin.

_No, _a voice in his head said.

_Because of you. _Sweeney had been the one that had killed her. It was his fault that they would never be together…

But, he was going to die soon too, apparently. Maybe they could be together in the after life, finally… after all this time. Sweeney pictured Lucy, surrounded by clouds, waiting for him to join her in Heaven.

_But, _the voice in his head said, _you're not going to Heaven, not with what you did. _Then it slowly dawned on him that he would surely be going to Hell for all the blood he had spilled. And Lucy would be waiting up there for her love that would never arrive.

And he would be in Hell, all alone. No, not alone Judge- the Judge would certainly be there as well. Sweeney Todd, stuck for eternity with the man that had turned his life into Hell in the first place-

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" Sweeney heard a voice yell. He opened his eyes and found himself on his knees, sweating and shaking. Had it been him that screamed? He felt two hands yank him back to his feet.

"Do _that_ again, you loony, and it'll be a bullet in your head," Sweeney heard someone whisper in his ear.

There was silence for a while, and then Sweeney saw a guard continue reading off a roll of paper.

"Mrs. Nellie Lovett, accused of the assisted murder and disposal of…" So Mrs. Lovett was here too. But of course, of course Mrs. Lovett was here, she was everywhere. He could never find peace with her around. Although Sweeney never paid any attention to her anyway. It was just that every time he saw her, thoughts of Lucy and of Judge Turpin would always come flooding back. Revenge pushed all other feelings out. Always.

But revenge was gone, and it had been taken. So what's left? Lucy… Mrs. Lovett had said she died. She had died, in a way. But Sweeney had killed her. Shouldn't Mrs. Lovett have known? She could've just done a little searching, and have found her… So really it was Mrs. Lovett's fault. Yes… anyone's fault but his.

_It wasn't_ _her fault, it was yours, and you killed her, after all…_ said the voice in his head once again.

"I know, I _know, _damn it!" Sweeney whispered to himself. Lucy was gone; everything was gone. Mrs. Lovett popped into his mind once again. _Why can't I stop thinking about her?_ Even now, she seemed to be making her way into his consciousness, filling up the emptiness left behind by grief and revenge.

Sweeney could feel eyes on the back of his head. He looked up and saw Mrs. Lovett staring at him. Sweeney stared right back at her, looking into her eyes…

And he smiled.

He couldn't help it. It was like he was seeing her for the first time. It was like all the things that had been clouding his vision for so long were gone. It was like love at first sight. She was… beautiful. Why hadn't he noticed before? Her frizzy hair, tied up in sloppy pigtails, looked even crazier than it usually did. Her skin was so pale, just like his. And her eyes, her big brown eyes. They looked so innocent, warm, even after all that had happened.

Sweeney blinked and saw Mrs. Lovett start blushing like mad. He turned his head away before she could do anything else. Just the way she had always looked at him, the way she would put her hand on his arm sometimes, and the way she had always been talking to him sent his mind reeling now. And he had been so_ oblivious_ before!

Mrs. Lovett gave off a certain energy. Full of life, she was. Sweeney's stomach gave an unpleasant lurch when he thought about how different they were. He was always ignoring her, preferring silence to conversation. But she had always been there, making him meals that he never ate or talking to him about things he never listened to. Sweeney was angry, to say the least, of how he had treated her in the past. But he had been so wrapped up in his tortured world, and had pushed everything else aside. But he knew how happy she had been just to have him there.

Mrs. Lovett probably thought that all her efforts were to waste, and that he didn't care about her at all.

_But it's true_, said the ever recurring voice. _You don't care._

"No," Sweeney said aloud, and squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to think like this anymore, he felt so guilty for not caring all this time… Now, Mrs. Lovett was a constant presence in his mind, filling his consciousness…

_What about Lucy?_ The thought rang in his head.

_What about Lucy?  
_

No, she would have wanted him to be happy. But he wondered if she would have even wanted him to have killed the judge, if she had known. Sweeney tried to think about what Lucy was like, but it was like she was a dream, a distant memory that was fading with every second.

"No, I don't want to forget…"

Lucy. The reason Sweeney had gotten his revenge. She was the reason he had killed Judge Turpin. Hot tears welled up in Sweeney's eyes when he thought for the last time about what the Judge had done to him. He had hurt Lucy, and he had torn Sweeney's family apart. Turpin had ruined his life.

_We could have a life, us too… _Mrs. Lovett's voice echoed in his head. She had always had that dream of moving out to the sea with he and Toby. Maybe someday, they could all move far away, away from London, away from _everything. _

But Sweeney remembered the noose swaying in the breeze just feet from where he stood. And his heart sank.

No, why _now, _he didn't want to die now! He wanted to be with Mrs. Lovett, and maybe be happy again… He wanted to tell her how her felt, how he- _loves _her…

_No, don't say that… Lucy… What about Lucy!_ The voice was almost screaming in his head. Sweeney was going crazy, he was being torn in two, and he didn't know what to do…

_You're just going to forget your one true love…  
_

Sweeney couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop it, STOP IT!I can never escape what happened. Lucy will be in my heart forever, but… Lucy is gone, she is part of the past, and- Mrs. Lovett is here. Mrs. Lovett is now. No, I don't want to forget. But I CAN'T dwell on Lucy anymore!"

The voice stopped. Sweeney felt empty again. But his head was clear, and he was at peace with himself for the first time… in a long time. And he knew what he had to do.


	2. Chapter 2

Sweeney's purpose for life was simple now. He looked over and saw Mrs. Lovett standing there, silently crying. Sweeney knew what he had to do. He had to save her so she could escape. He didn't care if he survived, as long as she lives. He had to do something, because if he just let her die, without ever telling her how he felt… he just couldn't live with himself.

Then Sweeney heard a voice next to him, Mrs. Lovett's voice. He turned his head slowly and saw her talking to the guard in front of her. No, she wasn't talking, she was _pleading _with him, and crying harder than ever…

"No, I don't _want_ to die, not now, I want to 'ave a life, I 'ave dreams…" she said. Sweeney wanted to go comfort her, just to be near her would be enough. He wanted to live as much as she did now; he wanted them to be together-

The harsh, angry voice of the guard broke Sweeney's train of thought.

"Did you _ever_ stop and think about all the peoples dreams that _you_ were killing in tha' bakery?" Then he hit Mrs. Lovett across the face. The sound reverberated in Sweeney's ears and made his head spin.

SMACK.

Sweeney looked around. Everything was crystal clear all of a sudden. He could feel every inch of his body rushing with adrenaline. It was as if everything was in slow motion, and some outside force was controlling his body.

Sweeney saw Mrs. Lovett, her face turned to the side with her cheek growing red. He saw the guard standing over Mrs. Lovett, looking like he was going to hit her again. And Sweeney saw himself throw off his captors and rush towards the man in one swift motion.

Right before Sweeney reached the guard, he saw the man's face turn towards him, looking surprised. But his face was also full of malice and disgust, probably from what Mrs. Lovett had said to him. The guard probably couldn't wait to see them both die. But what did he know? He didn't even understand! And in that moment Sweeney realized that he hated that man with so much intensity that he felt like he was going to burst.

Sweeney tackled the man with full force and slammed him to the ground. Hot rage filled every part of his body and made him want to scream. Then he started hitting every part of the guard he could reach.

"Don't touch her… Don't- _ever_ touch her!" Sweeney heard a voice say. It must have been his. He could feel blood on his hands now. He barely noticed the other guards trying to pull him off of the man. All Sweeney wanted to do was to cause him as much pain as possible.

If only he had his razors with him!

But could he really kill the man? Those razors had been his outlet for all the pain and grief he felt. But he didn't feel like that anymore. Could he really use those razors again?

Could he really kill again?

Sweeney hesitated for a moment. Could he really kill anyone again? All those people, they all had lives. His reasoning had been that they didn't deserve to live. But who does? Certainly not himself, but he still wanted to live more than anything. What right do these guards have to decide whether he lives or dies?

But what right did Sweeney have to decide whether all of his victims lived or died? He looked down at his hands, covered in blood, as they had been so many times before. He had taken his feelings out on so many people, who hadn't even had anything to do with his sadness… And he had ended their lives, just like these guards will do with him.

But he deserved it, didn't he? Didn't everybody? Sweeney closed his eyes, thinking of all of the lives he had taken. Did we all really deserve to die? No one has any right to decide that, he thought, especially not himself. Wasn't it immeasurably selfish for him to want to keep on living, even after all of the people he had killed? But he _wanted_ to live now… He felt an inordinate amount of sadness for his victims now. They were just like him, they all had wanted to live, but it was taken away from them. He wanted to say sorry. But was sorry good enough?

Then Sweeney heard a scream, a woman's scream. It was Mrs. Lovett's scream. Sweeney looked up from the guard for the first time since he had attacked the man.

He saw Mrs. Lovett struggling with yet another guard, trying to escape- maybe she would get out alive! But no, she wasn't trying to escape at all; she was trying to pull something out of the guard's hands. But what was he holding? The guard threw Mrs. Lovett off and Sweeney finally saw what they were fighting over. It was a gun. But why-

_Oh.  
_

--

**AN: **Just to let you know, I already have the whole fanfic written, I just have to type it up. That's why I'm updating this so fast. I didn't have like a giant burst of creativity or anything.

And this next chapter will be the last one. There will be an epilogue too, but it will be really short. And thanks so much to the people who have reviewed! You don't know how happy it makes me, especially since this is my first fanfic. So thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **Well, here's the last chapter. I know it's amazing, two chapters in one day, right? Well I dedicate this chapter to ABloodyWonder, because they were the one who wanted me to put it up so quickly. Thank all of you so much for all the reviews!

--

Sweeney heard the shots before he felt them. There were two, one in his arm, and one in his chest. He sank to the ground, suddenly losing all of his energy that had filled him up before. Sweeney heard Mrs. Lovett scream again. He looked up at her and saw her crying… and she was just as beautiful as before. But she was fading… what was happening?

Sweeney sank to the ground and tried to keep his eyes open. _There you go, you bastards, are you happy now?_ He wasn't sure who he was talking to. Maybe the guards and the policemen, who didn't even understand, but still wanted him dead. Or maybe he was talking to the people he had killed, because they probably wanted him dead too… Maybe the whole world wanted him dead. Maybe he should just let them have their way, so that they can all get back to their happy lives, in a world that's always better without him around…

Thoughts drifted in and out of Sweeney's mind, thoughts of Mrs. Lovett. She was the one person that _didn't_ want him dead. But she was probably better off without him. Sweeney vaguely noticed Mrs. Lovett kneel down beside him and put her hands on his chest. He opened his eyes just enough to see her sitting over him, looking into him. Sweeney could feel her tears falling onto his face. His skin was tingling at her touch.

"Mr. Todd- Sweeney… don't go, please-" Mrs. Lovett said. Then she whimpered as a guard pulled her back again.

She would never know… she would never know how he felt. How he had always felt, perhaps, but all the other things were in the way of it. He was going to die. And she would die too, thinking, _knowing_ that he never cared for her, that he never noticed her.

_Why_ hadn't he realized that he loved her sooner? They could've had a life together… But not anymore, because it was too late. He would die, right here, all alone. And he would _never _see her again, and Mrs. Lovett would _never_ know, because it was too late… too late.

_NO._

Sweeney could feel his knees creaking, almost buckling under the weight of his body as he tried to stand up. He started to walk as best he could towards Mrs. Lovett, who was just standing completely still, looking like she had seen a ghost. He looked down and saw that he had blood all over his chest and his clothes, and that he was dripping blood onto the ground. He didn't even feel the pain anymore. He just felt tired.

Sweeney noticed that none of the guards were trying to stop him. Maybe they were scared, or maybe they felt bad for him. How much time did he have left? Not enough… Sweeney didn't want to die… But he had to tell her. She had to know.

Finally he reached Mrs. Lovett and nearly fell into her arms.

"Mrs. Lovett… I'm sorry, you're- amazing, and… I've always- but…" Sweeney could barely get the words out, let alone keep himself upright. He could feel her body getting closer to his with every word he said.

"Mr. Todd, I- I love you! I always 'ave, you probably know that, but- Oh, Mr. Todd, why do you have to go _now_, I don't want you to go, please…"

It was all Sweeney could do to keep from falling to the ground. He was shaking with the effort. His head felt foggy, and he could barely keep his eyes open. But Mrs. Lovett's voice was sending chills down his spine, keeping him in reality.

"I new you were the one, Mr. T., as soon as you walked into my pie shop… But you broke me heart, you did, when you met Lucy, and then you got shipped off to bloody Australia, or wha'ever. I had always hoped you would come back, Mr. Todd, but I never thought you would…"

Mrs. Lovett was crying harder now. Sweeney could tell that she had been waiting to say this for a long time. She was so close now that the hairs on Sweeney's neck were standing up. Mrs. Lovett drew a shaky breath and continued.

"But you did come back, Mr. T., like I 'ad always hoped. But you still were thinkin' about tha' bloody judge, and Lucy… I always thought that maybe we could get away from all this, and 'ave a life together… but-"

She couldn't control herself any longer. Mrs. Lovett fell into Sweeney's arms, sobbing. It was all Sweeney could do to keep from collapsing. The only thing keeping him alive now was the fact that every second he spent alive was a second that he got to be with Mrs. Lovett. But he was almost gone. He could feel it. This was the last time he would see her… This was the last time he would see anything. But he didn't care about that… Mrs. Lovett was his only reason for living now.

Sweeney was starting to cry too. Not much for himself anymore, but he felt so bad for Mrs. Lovett. She had always loved him… And she would have to suffer now, just like he had when he thought Lucy was dead. Sweeney didn't want anyone to have to suffer like he did. But what could he do? What could he do…

Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett both looked at each other with tears in their eyes and Sweeney said, "It's too late, Mrs. Lovett- I'm too late." He could fell her breath against his face.

"Mr. Todd…" she said. Mrs. Lovett closed her eyes and buried her face in his shoulder. Sweeney was absolutely trembling now. He put his hand on her chin and tilted her head up towards his.

Then Sweeney kissed her.

Mrs. Lovett froze up at first, but then she began to melt in his arms-

And Sweeney was floating, and it was just he and Mrs. Lovett. Sweeney wished it would never stop as he drew closer to her, holding her body against his.

Sweeney suddenly swayed and fell to the ground. Mrs. Lovett fell with him. It was time. He looked into her eyes one last time. She would suffer like he had. She would go through the pain, like he had.

But maybe she could find light again, just like he had.

Neither he nor Mrs. Lovett knew what to say. But looking into each other's eyes, they knew it was the end.

And she cried because the love of her life would never live again.

And he cried because he realized how much he had always loved her.

And they both cried because they knew it was,

too late.

_I'm sorry, my love. _

And then the Demon Barber of Fleet Street was no more.

_The End_


	4. Epilogue

**AN:** Well, this is the last part. I promise it will make up for how sad the actual story was. Thanks so much to all of my reviewers. Really, you don't know how happy they made me. I mean, this was my first fanfic, and you guys totally made me feel great about it. So thanks again!

--

_Where was he?_

_Who was he?_

_Benjamin Barker was standing, or floating, or something; but he did not know where. He wanted to open his eyes, but he didn't even have the strength to do that._

_Then, all of a sudden, he was lying on a solid, hardwood floor. Had he just imagined the floating sensation? Or had he actually just gotten there? Benjamin wanted to get up, but he couldn't. _

_"I need to get home, or Lucy will worry," He thought. Again, he tried to move but he still couldn't. _

_"I need to go take care of Johanna before Lucy leaves. Or maybe Mrs. Lovett will be able to watch her while Lucy is away… Mrs. Lovett…"_

_Then __everything__ came flooding back._

_Sweeney Todd sat up abruptly. He felt like he had woken up from a long dream. One in which had thought that he was still Benjamin Barker, and that Lucy was still alive. And although Sweeney wasn't sad, he couldn't help but feel sorry for himself._

_How long had he been here? He could've been laying there for days, or years, or seconds. He had no idea how much time was passing anymore. Maybe there was no time anymore._

_Sweeney looked around. He was in a room almost identical to his barbershop. The only difference was that there was no door, but this didn't particularly bother him. He felt no urge to leave. Sweeney stood up and squinted in the light. He had been laying in the shadows, and the windows were really bright. _

_"This… this must be the afterlife," he thought. Sweeney suddenly looked down at his chest. There was no wound, no blood, nothing._

_Then he heard footsteps behind him. Sweeney froze. His previous thoughts of having to spend eternity with Judge Turpin came back to him._

_"Oh, God, it is the Judge, I know it…" he whipped around, but no one was there. Sweeney could still hear footsteps as he spun around in circles, looking for their source._

_"Someone must be coming. The Judge- is coming." He thought to hide, but what good would that do? So Sweeney just stood for who knows how long, rooted to the spot, hoping, praying, that it was anyone but the judge-_

_The footsteps stopped. He felt someone was in the room now. Sweeney still didn't turn around. _

_Then he heard a very familiar voice, and he smiled, and his heart soared as he turned around._

_" 'Ello, Mr. T."_


End file.
